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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27818398">Heart in the highlands</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HaruIchigo/pseuds/HaruIchigo'>HaruIchigo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Happy Life Day! (With love and squalor) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View - Various Authors</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Animal Abuse, Animal Death, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Hunters &amp; Hunting, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:02:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,624</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27818398</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HaruIchigo/pseuds/HaruIchigo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"One day, The One will become his official companion, no matter what rank. If he cannot withstand the difficulties of this love, then he was never ready for its joys".</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Wilhuff Tarkin/TK-421</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Happy Life Day! (With love and squalor) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2025602</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Heart in the highlands</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            A translation of

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27723560">Сердце в горах</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/HaruIchigo/pseuds/HaruIchigo">HaruIchigo</a>.
        </li>

    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"The One," Tarkin always called him to himself. Not out of sentiment, but in order not to mention casually his name or number. Any information could be used against him. This information — especially so.</p><p>Now The One was truly the only one for many clicks around.  Carrion Plateau slumbered in fog, even the birds fell silent.<br/>
Autumn has finally reached these places. It smelled like young mushrooms, and looked like a ripe fruit on the verge of rotting, all shades of red, yellow and orange washing over. Tarkin took a deep breath of the sweetish air, trying to smell the wet wool or fresh excrement, but the forest laid stil: sleepy, soggy.<br/>
The dog, running ahead, bowed its large-eyed head, listened, flaring wide nostrils. Suddenly, a loud, uterine roar rolled across the plateau. The One immediately dropped the rifle from his shoulder, took aim, trying tensely to find the source of the sound. Tarkin chuckled.</p><p>"Krugga, a local deer. It is a few kilometers north of us. Came out of the forest to the pasture".</p><p>The One lowered his gun and took a breath, smiling.</p><p>"I thought this thing wouldn’t mind eating us".</p><p>"If something here wants to eat you, it comes up unnoticed".</p><p>Tarkin knew that this would certainly happen, and this confidence tickled his nerves pleasantly. By evening, his new jacket (he put it on for The One, so as not to embarrass him with the look of the one that he actually wore on the hunt) will be spoiled with blood. There is no other way on the Carrion Plateau.</p><p>"Have you ever killed someone?" He asked The One. He furrowed his thick, dark eyebrows.</p><p>"I had to, once. We were dispersing the protest, and the terrorist with the blaster ... he was running at me ... I took him off with one shot. I still don't know if it was right. He didn’t shoot, he just ran..."</p><p>“Good boy,” Tarkin said quietly, and the wrinkle between The One’s eyebrows was immediately smoothed out; he bit his lower lip.<br/>
Tarkin trained him well.<br/>
Maybe The One wasn’t a pinnacle of intelligence, but few were as responsive.</p><p>“But I've never hunted before. Ah, well, I’ve already told you, si... you".</p><p>He smiled, flashing his even, white teeth, and Tarkin couldn't help but smile back.</p><p>The One was perfect. He would have become a guardsman: tall, with broad shoulders and regular facial features. His eyes are blue-gray, and honest. His black hair is cropped according to the charter, but curls slightly above the nape of the neck. His body is a quality product of imperial training... but it is the body of an athlete, not a killer.<br/>
The One lacked combat experience, ambition, connections and self-confidence, which is why, instead of shining on parades, he chatted with mice-droids in the back room. Of course, he considered himself an irresistible seducer and dreamed of serving on Coruscant, and all this was so naive, so transparent...<br/>
But Tarkin also found this childish cunning charming.<br/>
The One was like raw marble, and little by little, with the gentle touch of a chisel, it was possible to make a perfect and faithful companion out of him. He was worth the effort.</p><p>"I hope you enjoy it here. You love bright colors, and I don't know anything brighter than the Carrion Plateau in autumn".</p><p>The One blushed a little.</p><p>“I know you weren’t going to take a vacation. You shouldn't have done this because of me”.</p><p>"Why not?"</p><p>“Because… isn't the project the most important thing?"</p><p>Tarkin listened, pretending to ponder on the question. A honking flock of temmu took off from a swamp nearby, soon they will fly directly overhead. The dog looked in the direction of the swamp, then, inquiringly at the owner, snorted, and trotted forward.</p><p>"Of course, the project is the most important. But we also need to remember that it is created for the sake of our loved ones. With you, my work has taken on a new meaning, and I'd rather trust Director Krennic once than give you up on the Life Day's Eve. Besides…"</p><p>He breathed deeply, feeling the plateau air wash over him.</p><p>"... wherever I am, my heart is forever here".</p><p>The One smiled and touched his shoulder lightly with his fingertips.</p><p>“Everyone thinks you're cruel. But I know how you really are... Wil…"</p><p>Tarkin allowed himself a grin.</p><p>“Get ready,” he said, removing the gun from his shoulder.</p><p>"Wha…"</p><p>Temmu passed over the clearing in a wide wedge. Tarkin fired at random, almost without aiming. It was all the more pleasant for him to see how two birds fell away from the wedge and dived down.<br/>
He bent down and slapped the dog on the back.</p><p>"Go, Zabrak, fetch!"</p><p>The dog squealed happily, and rushed into the underbrush, yapping.</p><p>"I had a chance to shoot like… two times”. The One looked at Tarkin with sincere admiration. It was even a little flattering.</p><p>"So one of them is yours. Do you prefer it with mushrooms?"</p><p>"Will you cook? Here? For me?"</p><p>“I'm not used to eating rations at camp, so yes, you have a unique opportunity to taste my stew".</p><p>Making his way after the dog through the thick undergrowth, he noticed a piece of dark fur on a thorn. Only a few hairs, dense and stiff.</p><p>'Wil! It’s here!"  The One called from behind the bushes. The dog stood over a weakly fluttering temmu chick, but did not bark, huddling to his leg.</p><p><i>“Don't send me further, it's there,”</i> the bulging dog's eyes pleaded. Tarkin bent down and ruffled his velvety nose.</p><p>"Good job, Zabrak". He carefully took the chick and broke its neck in one motion. "Look for the second one, go!"</p><p>The dog sucked in air noisily, and trotted into the thicket, whining. Tarkin knew that Zabrak would not find anything, but it was important for him that new noises and smells disturb the forest.<br/>
Then the real hunt will begin.</p><p>***<br/>
Once or twice Zabrak raised a bird from the grass. The One was lucky: when, at dusk, they returned to the tents, the big-eyed heads of two chaka-chakas hung limply from his hunting bag.<br/>
He looked tired and completely satisfied. Stirring the wet feathery lump, which the temmu had turned into, in the boiling water, Tarkin watched as The One was stretching, deliberately slowly, showing off, probably wondering if there would be something for dessert or the old officer was too tired.</p><p>Zabrak, dozing by the fire, shuddered, the mandibles on his chin began to move, the short bristle on the back of his head stood on end.<br/>
Tarkin himself felt an echo of the familiar musky scent.<br/>
Garu bear. Annoyed by the autumn moult, dog barks and human voices. He is there, in the twilight forest, but he is afraid to go to the fire, looking from afar, hating.</p><p>"Not good, the water is not hot enough. Bring more branches, would you kindly?"</p><p>The One sitting next to him with the mug of caf rolled his eyes but got up.</p><p>“You’re not going to feed me that?” He nodded at the contents of the pot. "I heard that you are not into fancy food".</p><p>Tarkin smiled.</p><p>"Boiling water makes plucking the game easier. Don't forget your gun, darling, it's the most dangerous time in the forest right now".</p><p>The One whistled to the dog, and he reluctantly trailed after him, all the while looking back at his owner. Tarkin watched both of them go, poured himself some herbal tea, and began to work on temmu, slowly, with gusto, plucking feather after feather from the warm, viscous skin.<br/>
Rare serenity descended upon him.<br/>
Home at last.<br/>
He was not exaggerating when he said that his heart is here: despite all the brilliant Core Worlds career and education, it was the Carrion plateau that shaped him.</p><p>Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the flash of a shot, but the fog drowned out the sound. The dog barked, hysterically, desperately, but the barking dropped into a whine full of pain. Garu got him. Perhaps he ripped his belly  open - they liked to do this to dogs. Fifteen-centimeter claws could also easily reach the hunter...<br/>
He listened. There was no second shot, although the dog gave The One a second or two for escape. Did the boy miss the chance?</p><p>Two more shots and a dull roar from the fog.<br/>
Tarkin smiled. In the end, the boy was a stormtrooper, he was taught not to get lost in difficult situations. Probably climbed a tree and now shoots with a blaster. However, the garu can still shake him off.</p><p> </p><p>The herbal tea tasted pleasantly bitter. Here, on the plateau, it tasted quite differently: soft water, the slight aroma of smoke. On the plateau, everything seemed more alive, full of sounds and smells. From here space seemed like a dull desert, and the station was just a beautiful decoration. And yet how easily it can destroy it all!<br/>
After what he found out when he was admitted to the project Stardust, it was hard not to fall in love with the Carrion Plateau again, for its fragility and vulnerability.</p><p>He thought it would be a shame if The One never tasted his tea. Tarkin wanted to share only short, happy moments with him but did not believe in a double life. All the others’ attempts he witnessed looked like pure weak-willed escapism, tainted with cowardice.<br/>
One day, The One will become his official companion, no matter what rank. He will have to face cruelty, treachery, and death. He will never learn to convincingly flatter and intrigue, so let him at least learn to kill without remorse for a start. If he cannot withstand the difficulties of this love, then he was never ready for its joys.</p><p>A crackle, loud as a thunderbolt, roared as soon as it was time to add mushrooms and vegetables to the broth. Tarkin stirred the coals so that they would not burn out completely before his arrival.<br/>
He decided not to put the guts into the stew, and threw it, out of habit, towards the dog ...<br/>
Oh. Yes.</p><p>For a moment he felt a pang of sadness, but there was no time for that. He took a night-vision goggle from his bag and wiped off the knife. Then checked if he had salted the broth.</p><p>The One actually managed to climb the tree but did not take the force he faced into account. Well.</p><p>The sound did not move, so it was easy to determine where the garu found its prey.<br/>
Treading lightly between the roots, trying not to disturb the fallen leaves, Tarkin approached in the fog from the leeward side, and almost fell into what was left of the dog.<br/>
For a second he felt sorry for Zabrak, loyal and smart.<br/>
He knew that the dog had been dead for a long time, but it seemed that in the depths of his soul he still hoped.</p><p>A snarling mound of fur rolled in front of him in the greenish darkness. Garu bear.<br/>
Below him, trying to kick the woolen side, The One was squirming. It was not agony — he fought.<br/>
Tarkin winced at the grinding of metal and the crunch of plastic — the garou growled, crushing the gun with its jaws gnawing at the last thing that still protected The One. Why didn't the boy finish the job earlier? He sat on the tree for a relatively long time.<br/>
What will he do now...</p><p>Tarkin took aim slowly, gently stroking the trigger with his finger, choosing the very familiar, vulnerable point on the beast's neck, where the thick occipital bone gave way to the fragile vertebrae. He'll give The One another five seconds. This is enough for everything to be decided.</p><p>One.</p><p>The battery inside the torn gun sparked and crackled, infuriating the Garu even more.</p><p>Two.</p><p>The beast reared up, roared, swung both paws...</p><p>Three.</p><p>...and suddenly his massive, heavy body shuddered as if another charge had passed through him.<br/>
Tarkin knew the reason, he clearly heard a familiar sound — a vibro-knife piercing the flesh. Now it was necessary to slightly adjust the aim.</p><p>Four.</p><p>The One barely had time to roll away, holding the second knife...</p><p>Five.</p><p>Tarkin pulled the trigger, and the gunshot pierced through the bear's throat.<br/>
The One did not even understand what had happened: when he saw that the beast froze, he jumped up and rushed at him with a knife, shouting something incoherent, stabbing, and stabbing, and stabbing. Blood from lacerated wounds poured over him, but he still did not understand that the enemy was dead. He only stopped when Tarkin called his name.</p><p>"Is it... dead?" asked The One. He began to shake, the knife still in his hand.</p><p>"Yes".  Tarkin approached him, glad that he was wearing a night vision device — an excuse not to feign sympathy. "Stars... are you hurt?"</p><p>“No… I… thanks… I…"</p><p>"You will now come with me to the camp and have a whiskey". He sighed. "My boy, you scared me so much…"</p><p>The One allowed himself to be led to the fire. His new hunting suit was stiff, his face, brown and dark with blood, his grey eyes shone in the grime like two cold, motionless moons.</p><p>"Zabrak…"</p><p>"Yes I know". Tarkin splashed hot water on the handkerchief. "I found him. We need to bury him, and then skin the bear. I'm afraid we'll have to work all night".</p><p>“I should have… I should have taken the armor with me… I should have…” </p><p>The One did not even notice the touch on his face.</p><p>"Who goes hunting in full armor?" Tarkin wiped his forehead. Little by little, perfect skin began to emerge from under the bloody mask. “It's either us or them here.  Why didn't you call? I thought you were shooting because Zabrak found another nest".</p><p>The One smiled slightly, but it was a pathetic smile, not at all like his usual broad and charming one. And from this Tarkin again suddenly felt a light pang sadness — as if his heart, which had always worked properly, suddenly contracted. He wondered, when he had become so sentimental...</p><p>"Who calls the senior offices for help? I am a soldier, I had to fight and protect you... that's how I was trained".</p><p><i>“I’m not breaking him."</i> Tarkin threw away the reddened handkerchief and gently took the One's face in his palms, touching his lips with his thumb, as if trying to erase that smile. <i>“I'm making him better, stronger. I test him as Jova and the others tested me…</i> "</p><p>"My boy ... you have no idea…"</p><p>Did he himself smile the same way when he first returned from the plateau? And no one said anything to him, they thought it was right...</p><p>
  <i>“I am not breaking him. I cut off the unnecessary. After all, how else can he withstand all this with me?"</i>
</p><p>The One's gaze changed suddenly, gray eyes darkened. Lips, scarlet, cracked, wrapped around Tarkin's thumb and in one motion sucked it into his hot mouth. This lively, moist heat reminded Tarkin of many things and promised even more...</p><p>After that The One would be ashamed, failing to understand what got into him. Naive, not yet familiar with this thirst, which picks one up after the Death, having barely passed by, knocked the earth from under one’s feet.</p><p>He can handle it. He won't break because it can't happen, because if it does ...</p><p>With his free hand, Tarkin squeezed the wavy strands, making him tilt his head back.</p><p>"Happy Life Day…" he whispered, feeling the taste of animal salty blood on the lobe of the perfect ear. "My Only One"...</p>
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